1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flag support systems and, more particularly, to an improved angulated flag staff system for securely positioning a flag staff at a variety of select angles.
2. History of the Prior Art
Banners and flags have been displayed from buildings and poles for centuries in one form or another. The contemporary form of a flag display incorporates a generally rectangular cloth member having the appropriate indicia formed thereon and suspended from a vertically disposed flag pole or an angulated staff. The flag staff generally extends outwardly from a vertical surface, such as a building wall or vertical column, whereas flag poles are mounted in the ground. Typically, vertical flag poles are rather large in construction and are used for large residential structures, as well as a myriad of commercial areas. The staff for use in presenting a flag in an angulated configuration relative to a vertical surface is generally of a shorter length and adapted for support of a flag therefrom. It may be hollow or solid and made from wood, metal or fiberglass. These staffs may be strong and attractive but they generally have an outside diameter that is not machine finished and which varies in size due to material characteristics and tolerances.
A variety of systems have been developed for positioning and securing flags to vertical, horizontal, and angulated positions. In the main, the systems include a means for maintaining a degree of tautness at the bottom of the flag nearest the support member. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,621, assigned to the assignee of the present invention provides an improved, angulated flat support system. This system is used for a particular flag staff having a hollow end of relatively precise size. Not all materials lend themselves to this mounting technique.
Addressing now upstanding flag poles, the requisite securing system may include retainer loops appropriately securing the top and bottom of the heading of the flag about the flag pole and/or weight members that may depend from the generally horizontally disposed flag. The weight members provide a means for maintaining a degree of tension in the flag in a manner that allows some degree of movement. Such retainer loops are currently in use by commercial enterprises, such as banks, for vertical flag poles.
Many staffs used for angulated display of flags are not as well equipped with regard to means for maintaining the tautness at the bottom of the flag. In certain instances, ropes have been used to secure the flag about the flag staff but various disadvantages are associated therewith. Not the least of these disadvantages is the aesthetic appearance of such a rope around the flag staff. However, in most cases on a staff the flag is secured by a halyard with snaps for the top and bottom attachment holes. This design also has disadvantages. The use of other tensioning devices has apparently not been accepted in prior art flag assemblies. Another problem is orienting the flag staff and flag in the most aesthetically pleasing position which may be, in some instances, nearly horizontal with the ground. In those instances, tensioning of the flag is not the major problem, but rather the mounting of the flag staff. With a straight flag staff extending from a generally horizontal mounting hole, the staff can be easily dislodged relative to the staff disposed at a steep angle. In addition, the outer diameter of flag staffs are often not machined or even constructed to very close tolerances. When the mounting hole is relatively short, size variations of the flag staff can lead to loose fitting staff, resulting wobble, and even dislodgement in high winds. It would be an advantage to incorporate a system utilizing certain advantages of prior art flag support systems with the multitude of additional advantages in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
The invention set forth and described in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/276,068, which is the parent to the present application, teaches a system which overcomes many of the problems of the prior art. In that system, a flag support system utilizing a base member which receives a re-angulating shaft is provided. This particular mounting configuration permits the secured mounting of a hollow flag staff at a steep angle in the base member, but where the flag staff itself assumes a position of much less angularity. Although this re-angulation system provides many advances over the prior art, it does not specifically address the aforementioned outer diameter size variations and wobble that can result therefrom. In particular, it does not address the utilization of a solid flag staff made of wood or the like which has no tubular portion for an internal mounting. It also does not address the need for a female mounting of such staffs, hollow or solid. It would be an advantage, therefore, to incorporate a system utilizing the distinct advantages of the above-referenced copending patent application that could also facilitate receipt of both hollow and solid flag staffs into a female member affording reangulation advantages. Such a system could then more effectively utilize commercial flag staffs.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing a flag staff support system utilizing a base member which receives a re-angulating assembly comprising an elongate female member for receipt of a male member comprising the end of a hollow or solid flag staff. This mounting permits the securement of flag staffs in a variety of re-angulated positions.